Trump teleprompter operator under federal probe for insider trading

Trump teleprompter operator under federal probe for insider trading

Federal investigators are probing Gabriel Perez, a technical assistant and longtime teleprompter operator for President Donald Trump, for allegedly using insider information to profit from prediction markets. Perez, who has worked for the president since 2016, is accused of betting on the content of presidential speeches to earn more than $100,000, according to reports from ABC News citing unnamed sources.

The investigation was launched by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) after the trading platform Kalshi flagged suspicious activity on its site. Specifically, the activity occurred within Kalshi's Mentions market, a feature that allows users to bet on whether specific phrases, topics, or words will be used during a public address.

According to the sources, Perez placed bets on several speeches over a three-month period. These included the president's prime-time address in December 2025, remarks delivered at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland in January 2026, and a speech given in March at a Medal of Honor ceremony. The probe also identified bets placed on the State of the Union address delivered on February 24, 2026, as well as more than a dozen other speeches.

As the person responsible for the teleprompter, Perez is typically the last individual to review the prepared text and often incorporates last-minute edits from the president. Investigators found that Perez sometimes adjusted his bets while the president was actively speaking, reacting in real-time when Trump skipped over certain words.

Bobby DeNault, the lead lawyer for Kalshi, told ABC News in a statement:

"Our surveillance team promptly flagged and referred these trades to the CFTC, and we are cooperating and assisting regulators,"

Bobby DeNault, lead lawyer for Kalshi, via ABC News

The White House has responded by emphasizing its internal standards. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told ABC News that the administration maintains strict ethics guidelines that we expect all staffers and officials to follow and confirmed that Perez is fully cooperating with the CFTC.

This incident follows a late March warning from the White House advising staffers against betting on world events through prediction markets. It occurs amid a broader trend of insider trading allegations involving prediction platforms. In April, a special forces soldier was charged with using confidential intelligence to win $400,000 on Polymarket regarding the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The Trump administration's relationship with the industry is complex. Donald Trump Jr. Has served as an advisor to both Kalshi and Polymarket, and the president has previously supported prediction market companies in their disputes with state gambling regulators.

Following meetings with regulators over the last few months, Perez acknowledged the trades. While the CFTC alerted federal prosecutors in New York, those prosecutors decided against pursuing a criminal investigation. Instead, CFTC regulators are reportedly open to a settlement. The proposed terms would require Perez to return his profits and agree to refrain from future betting.

Despite the evidence of his trading activity, Perez remains one of the president's teleprompter operators.